Lichfield Liberal Democrats leader welcomes High Speed Rail Inquiry
Posted on Thursday 15th April 2010 00:00 by Keith
Councillor Ian Jackson has welcomed the terms of reference announced by the coalition government for the inquiry.
“The existing plans are unacceptable as they stand and the inquiry should be able to allow a searching challenge of both the need for this project and its design”
“Both sides of the argument will be able to call and cross examine expert witnesses to examine the economic case, the route and also alternative ways of providing increased railcapacity.”
“What, for example, is already planned for extended platforms to allow longer trains and how much more could be done?”
"We have already said that an excessively high design speed of 250 mph has led to far higher costs and an inflexible and intrusive routing. Such a speed is totally inappropriate for a small country like ours. Compared with a speed of, for example, 180 mph it offers only small savings of time at a high financial and environmental cost. I am pleased that the alternative of a more conventional new rail line and also provision of extra stations are also mentioned in the terms of reference "
“If a new passenger line were decided upon there will need to be a new station wherever it crosses the A5 for the Lichfield area to benefit at all”.
“The logical route for any new line is to follow existing transport corridors, such as M6 Toll locally, where there would be less disruption and cost and also greater local benefits.”
